Let me go
by HorcruxCupcake
Summary: Post Ep for S29E16 Spoilers for that episode if you haven't seen it. It is set the day after and Zoe and Max have a conversation about what happened.


**A/N: This is the first thing I've ever written for casualty and I adore Zoe and Max but I'm not sure if I've managed to reflect their characters in my writing. Tonight's episode was really annoying because Zoe was finally going to open up to him but hopefully they'll get back together. If not we can rely on fan fiction :)**

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><p>Max walked out of the ED and round the corner. He'd just seen Zoe walking out for her break and he'd been trying to catch her all morning. What happened yesterday was just a mistake. If fact no she was a rebound. She'd been a rebound since just before Zoe had returned and yet Max still couldn't stop thinking about the senior consultant.<p>

"Got a light" he called to her as he walked forwards

She just handed him one without saying anything.

"You don't happen to have-

She held up a cigarette in her hand and held it out to him.

"Right, thanks" he said

"I'm not playing games here Max"

"Is this going to be the 'you live your life and I'll live my life' speech?"

"Well you've clearly already moved on so…"

Max leant against the wall and turned his head to look at her "Why did you come into my office yesterday?"

"Firstly it's not an office" she pointed out making him laugh "and secondly I was in there because we needed a porter who wasn't busy and you were not answering your pager. The reason for that is now apparent. You were supposed to be working Max."

"I didn't hear you complaining when it was you in there with me."

"Don't" Zoe said

"So you came to fetch me yourself instead of sending a nurse"

"Stop flattering yourself. It makes you look like a naïve teenager"

"A hot naïve teenager"

"I can't believe I ever slept with you. Dylan was right you're just an immature-

"Well your hardly mature are you? You can't even admit your feelings" He through his cigarette on the floor "I came out here to tell you that I'm sorry and I was actually trying to get over you, but you obviously don't want to hear it" he said without raising his voice and started walking back to the door "Oh and for the record" he added turning round "it didn't work."

Zoe sighed watching him walk away from her. It'd have been better if he'd had shouted and forced her into an argument, but he wasn't confrontational. That was one of the things she liked about him, he never lost his temper and was always the one to defuse the tension in an argument, although it was frustrating when he just walked away like this. She wanted to run after him but could seem to work her legs. Her brain had decided she had to let him go despite the aching feeling in her heart. It was only because Max had to wait for a trolley to be took in, that she had time to gather her thoughts and feelings.

"Max wait" she called walking towards him. Either he ignored her or didn't hear her because he started walking back into the ED but she wasn't going to let him get away that easily. She'd had enough hiding her feelings and they both needed to lay their cards on the table.

"Max" she said catching his arm before he rounded the corner into reception "I didn't mean that I… I just…" she closed her eyes and breathed out before opening them and looking up at him "I love you Max." but he didn't respond or even react. His face was just a blank canvas, so she started babbling "There I said it, but it doesn't make any difference whatsoever so-

She never got to finish her sentence because Max had sealed her lips in a kiss and pushed her back against the wall. She kissed him back for a moment before breaking off.

"No Max stop"

He sighed "I've got to go. Mac will be looking for me"

He turned but she ran her finger down his back to make him turn around again "Not in my hospital, but my house isn't off limits" she winked before walking off herself, shaking her bum as she walked.

At the end of the day Zoe found herself walking towards Max's cupboard, or office as he liked to call it, feeling happier than she had felt in weeks. It was the old man she was treating yesterday that made her realise you're not too old to have a life, and 40 though she was, her heart was still beating faster than any lovesick teenager's as she walked towards him.

She still glanced around before she opened the door but only briefly not really caring whether or not anybody saw her. However, what _she_ saw on the other side of the door made her heart sink. He was with that other girl again.

"Sorry" Zoe said quickly walking out of the room as fast as possible. Her brain was in overdrive, why would he do this after what he said earlier.

"Zoe!" Max yelled down the corridor running after her.

"I'm not interested in what you've got to say Max, you've obviously moved on and that's fine but don't go screwing with my head like you did earlier. Let me live my own life if you're going to live yours."

"Zoe it wasn't how it looked."

"Wasn't it?"

"Will you just stop for a minute" he said grabbing her arm and forcing her to stand still "I meant what I said earlier I just didn't think you did so I…"

"So instead of trusting me you ran back to your backup plan. Good choice"

"I don't know what else to say"

"Max, we both know this isn't about what happened just now is it? We were never going to work I'm too old for you"

"Zoe-

"Let me finish. We both need to move on and live our separate lives for a bit. You need a girl your own age who can give you a family and live a long happy life with you and I am most definitely not that girl. I came to see you yesterday because a patient made me realise life's too short and it shouldn't be so hard to just admit your feelings. But how I feel doesn't change anything because it's not about me." She released her arm from Max's grip and walked away, tears brimming in her eyes.

"Zoe" Max called

"Just let me go Max"

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><p><strong>Thanks for reading my rubbish unedited writing! Hope you enjoyed it :D<strong>


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